Illuminated sign.



PATENTED AUG. 8, 1905.

G.-E. TURNER.

ILLUMINATED SIGN.

APPLICATION FILED 0014, 1904.

j i Z UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIOE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 8, 1905.

Application filed October 4, 1904. Serial Nu. 22'7,l39.

T0 0% whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. TURNER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing in the city and county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Illuminated Signs;

and Ido declare the following to beafull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in illuminated signs.

The objects of my invention are, first, to provide a sign the outline of each letter of which is formed by a plurality of incandescent lamps arranged upon a reflecting-surface so constructed as to greatly intensify the brilliancy of the said lamps, thus enabling the sign to be distinctly seen from a great distance; second, to provide a sign composed of individual letters each of which has a depressed reflecting-surface of the same outline as said letters, in which is placed a plurality of incandescent lamps, and, third, to provide a sign composed of individual illuminated letters which is especially adapted to be placed upon the tops of buildings, each letter being arranged to swing back out of line to afford convenient access to the lamps.

In the accompanyingdrawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of an individual letter con structed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same, showing the manner of connecting the circuit-wires to the lamp-sockets. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4: is an enlarged rear view of one of the lampsockets with the circuit-wires attached; and Fig. 5 is a side elevation of one of the letters, showing the same hinged at its lower end and supported from its upper end by a suitable brace-rod.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which I have illustrated the letter M, the numeral 1 indicates a board forming the back of one of the legs of the M; 2, the side or edge boards, which are secured to the back; 3. the front boards, which are secured to the edge boards and extend around the outline of the letter in parallel pairs, a span of suitable width being left between them, as shown. The open space thus formed has the same outline as the letter, and from the inner edges of the parallel front boards boards 4 extend to the back board at a converging angle of about sixty degrees, thus forming a depression 5 in the face of the letter having outwardly-slanting sides and of the same outline as the letter. I preferably construct these letters as shown and described, as such construction is both simple and light, though they could be formed of tin or other light sheet metal, if desired. At suitable intervals along the bottom of the depression 5 are formed holes 6, in which are inserted porcelain or other non-conducting lamp-sockets 7, having apertured ears 8, by which they are secured by screws to the back of the letter. The side walls and bottom of the depression 5 are covered with a lining of tin or other suitable metal 9, which is provided with holes registering with those in the lamp-sockets, and through these holes the hubs-of the lamps 10 are inserted and are held in the sockets in the usual manner. The terminals of the lamp-wires engage suitable contacts 11 and 12 in the sockets, as indicated in Fig. 3, which arrangement is common in electric lighting and forms no part of my invention, and these contacts are suitably con nected with metal plates 13 and 14, which are secured at opposite points on the rear sides of the lamp-sockets. A circuit-wire 15 extends around the outline formed by the lampsockets, connecting with all the plates 13, and it is then returned and connects with the plates 14:, the terminal ends of the wire connecting with a source of electric supply. The wire is fastened to the plates 13 and 14 by bending the ends of the plates so as to clamp the said wire, all of which is clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 4:.

Where a sign of this character, composed of individual letters, is secured upon the top of a building, I preferably arrange the letters so that they may be swung back out of line to afford convenient access to the lamps, and I accomplish this in the following manner: The bottom edge of each letter is hinged in any preferred manner to the roof of the building by suitable hinges 16, and adjacent to the upper edge of the letter at each side of the same I secure a pair of eyeplates 17, and between each pair of eyeplates I pivot the upper end of a supporting-rod 18, two of these rods being employed for each letter. The rods 18 extend to the roof at an angle of thirty or forty degrees, and their lower ends are secured between eyeplates 19 by a pin 20. Thus normally the letters are securely held in an upright position, and by removing the pins 20 they may be swung back on their hinges to a horizontal position.

with its outline, consisting of a bottom and diverging sides; lamp-sockets in said bottoms connected in an electric circuit, and incandescent lamps in said sockets; of independent supports for each letter consisting of hinge connections at their lower ends with a suitable base and brace-rods pivoted to the upper ends of said letters, their lower ends being removably secured to said base.

2. The combination with an illuminated sign comprising individual letters, each having a depressed, reflecting-surface, coinciding with its outline, consisting of a bottom and diverging sides; lamp-sockets in said bottoms connected in an electric circuit. and incandescent lamps in said sockets; of a suitable support for said letters; hinges connecting the lower end of each letter with said support; eyeplates adjacent to the upper end of each letter; eyeplates secured to said support; bracerods pivoted at their upper ends to the eyeplates at the upper end of the letter and extending to the eyeplates upon the support, and a pin for securing the lower ends of said brace-rods to the eyeplates of the support.

In testimony whereof I affix my signatu re in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE E. TURNER.

Witnesses:

G. SARGENT ELLIOTT, BESSIE THOMPSON. 

